Israeli officials warned the US over the weekend that an Iranian military drill could be used to conceal preparations for a possible attack, according to a report by Axios.
The report said IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir spoke by phone with the commander of US Central Command, Brad Cooper, and raised concerns about an exercise currently being conducted by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Israeli officials noted that Iran carried out a similar drill more than a month ago without launching an attack, but cautioned that the current activity could still pose a risk.
“The chances for an Iranian attack are less than 50%, but nobody is willing to take the risk and just say it is only an exercise,” one Israeli source was quoted as saying.
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According to the report, Zamir urged closer coordination between Washington and Jerusalem and called for preparations in case Iran uses the drill as cover for military action.
US intelligence assessments have not indicated that Iran is planning an imminent attack, the report said.
Cooper was in Tel Aviv on Sunday, where he met with Zamir and senior Israeli military officials to review the situation.
The Israel Defense Forces declined to comment. CENTCOM did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Sources familiar with the discussions expressed concern that miscalculations by either side could escalate tensions, with each anticipating a possible strike by the other.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with President Donald Trump on Dec. 29 in Miami. Israeli sources said Netanyahu plans to raise Iran’s efforts to restore its ballistic missile capabilities and the prospect of another strike against Iran in 2026.